Data sources
Where our data comes from
Every score, map, and recommendation is built on publicly available government and education datasets. Each source below links to the authoritative provider so you can verify any data point yourself.
Last updated: June 3, 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau
Demographics, household income, education attainment, housing characteristics (ACS 5-year estimates).
- FBI Crime Data (UCR / NIBRS)
Reported crime aggregated at agency and county level. Coverage and reporting cadence vary by jurisdiction.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Public water system violations and compliance. Mapped to the nearest available water system serving each county.
- Public education datasets
School counts, enrollment, and aggregate performance signals derived from public state and federal sources.
- Public housing market signals
Affordability, ownership rates, and price-level indicators derived from public datasets and Census housing tables.
Water-system mapping note
Wherever water quality information is shown, we display: “Mapped to nearest available water system based on public EPA data.” Water-system boundaries do not always align with addresses, so the nearest reporting system is used when an exact match is not available.